Fashioning a Farce

Joe Foust discusses his play, ‘Once a Ponze Time,’ with writer Sally Slattery. Photo by Len Villano.

“This is my favorite theater in the world,” says Joe Foust. He sits in the shade of a tree, surveying the property that makes up Peninsula Players – the box office, theater, outside courtyard, and beautiful lake view. In a rehearsal hall just a stone’s throw from where Foust ponders the peaceful landscape, actors perfect scenes of his new play, Once a Ponzi Time, opening July 3. “You shut your betrayal hole!” yells Paul Slade Smith inside the hall. It’s a typical morning at Peninsula Players.

“I left [Peninsula Players] twice before – earlier than what was offered – to do a part in two larger prestigious theaters,” says Foust. “Ultimately, I wasn’t happier there because – it’s good work – but you feel like you’re a cog in the machine. You are limited to what influence you have and how you’re utilized in a big theater. Here, we all wear a lot of hats. You end up feeling a bigger part of the community.”

Since Foust came to Peninsula Players fifteen years ago, he has acted as prop designer, electrician, fight choreographer, actor, director, and now playwright.

The inspiration for Once a Ponzi Time came about a few years ago when Foust was working on Unnecessary Farce – a play written by Slade Smith, who happens to play the lead in Foust’s play.

“I realized that there is a real market for [farces] and almost every year [Peninsula Players’ Artistic Director Greg] Vinkler is trying to find a farce or a comedy to put into the season,” explains Foust. “It seems he’s done them all – the ones that are good or not so dated that they’re politically incorrect.” So he went about writing his own farce.

(Left to right) Neil Friedman, Molly Glynn, Tim Monsion, Paul Slade Smith, and Noah Simon rehearse a scene of ‘Once a Ponzi Time.’ Photo by Len Villano.

The first step in creating a farce, according to Foust, is to “figure out what the secret is. In a farce often times someone is keeping a secret – a secret love affair or they’re getting money from the government in an illegal way.” He hit upon Ponzi scheme and spent a lot of time researching fraudulent investment operations and studying traditional farces, most notably those created by French playwright Georges Feydeau.

“There are rules to farce just like there are rules to a stage thriller,” explains Foust. “There’s a box that you got to stay inside of. So I had to figure out what the specifics of my box were going to be – besides holding true to the traditional farce standard. These farce comedies are kind of a machine, the plot becomes more important than character development.”

A major priority for Foust was to “make a play that my mother would love – she used to take me to plays when I was younger,” he recalls. “We’d go to the Barn Theater and see these silly comedies and she loved them, but there were things that would definitely not sit right with her.” Therefore, Once a Ponzi Time features no cursing and no sex.

Foust also knew he wanted a play that would be producible elsewhere, so he uses one set and a small cast size. “It was a two-year process before I got even what turned out to be a first draft,” he says.

Once that first draft was complete, Foust hosted a reading in his condo with Greg Vinkler and friends. More rewrites. “We got some notes from that,” says Foust, and eventually Peninsula Players hosted a workshop of the play. More rewrites. Finally, Foust put on a staged reading of the play in Chicago. “I had a lot of friends and playwrights come,” says Foust. “Tim Kazurinsky who used to be on Saturday Night Live came. He’s a great writer.” More rewrites.

Director Linda Fortunato leads a rehearsal of ‘Once a Ponzi Time’ while Foust looks on. Photo by Len Villano.

“And now we’re here and we’re still rewriting – we’re always trying new stuff,” laughs Foust.

Inside the rehearsal hall, the actors read from the script: Slade Smith sits on a stool bemoaning his plight, while Tim Monsion tosses a drink in his face; Neil Friedman passes out behind a couch, while Molly Glynn holds a weeping Noah Simon to her chest. Director Linda Fortunato laughs, sometimes interrupting the scene to discuss blocking with the actors. Foust watches from a stool. “Right now, I stay out of the picture,” he says. “[Fortunato] comes to me almost as an equal playwright, not just the director, and we talk about things we want to do different. It’s collaboration, teamwork.”

Soon everyone will break for lunch, then convene for more rehearsals. Foust will choreograph fight scenes, discuss potential rewrites for Once a Ponzi Time, and try to get a nap in before putting on his costume to perform in tonight’s showing of Saloon.

A typical day at Peninsula Players.

Once a Ponzi Time will run from July 3 – 21, Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 7:30 pm. The closing performance will have a 4 pm matinee on July 21. Discount tickets are available for season ticket holders and groups. Individual tickets are also available from $34 to $43.

For more information or to reserve tickets call 920.868.3287 or visit peninsulaplayers.com.